


The Demon King is an Exchange Student?!

by milksalt



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Animanga References, Coming of Age, Gen, Giant Pizza-making Robots, HQ Brofest (Master), Kageyama has no idea what he's in for, Kuroo's Amazing Wardrobe, Light Novel, Magic Corruption (played for laughs), Minor geopolitics, Slice of Life, Some Final Haikyuu! Quest influences, Trolling Otaku Oikawa Ruling The World
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-01
Updated: 2017-05-27
Packaged: 2018-10-26 07:30:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10782327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/milksalt/pseuds/milksalt
Summary: First, Demon King Oikawa got lost on his way to conquering the entire Human World.Then, his memory-altering magic didn't work on a certain setter.What is any magnificent, intelligent, anime-educated alien overlord to do in that situation?The only choice is Plan B:"Oikawa-kun, you're a transfer student from Antarctica?""Yes! Every morning, I ski with penguins and snowboard with polar bears."





	1. The Ultimate School Festival!

**Author's Note:**

> The fic is written for the Haikyuu!! Brofest, and deliberately scribed like a Light Novel translation ~~this author's note included~~. You may recognise the references, there are many.
> 
> This is a world where Seijyou and Nekoma don't exist, so Karasuno have evolved much slower than in the show.  
> Please laugh at the Engrish, wherever it may appear(lol)  
> The humour is very specific, and some parts will be a while until explanations ... (Sorry !!)  
> I hope you may find that sense of humour just as lol.
> 
> [milksalt](http://milksalt.tumblr.com)♠

There are some things that are taken for granted. That the sun goes up each morning, and that volleyballs tossed up must always fall back down.

That everything can be explained with reason.

That magic isn't real.

 

* * *

 

 

"Where are you going to get a giant pizza-making robot, Oikawa-san?"

The young man in front of Kageyama Tobio released a rich, lively laughter, and as he shook his head, the tips of his spun caramel hair floated like feathers.

"You can just leave that to me, Tobio-chan."

Class Representative Sawada also had his doubts.

"How large will it be, will it fit in the school ground?" Sawada asked. "Won't we need to fill out any extra forms with the school to get approval for something of that scale? What about health and safety? This is not an _anime,_ the district won't ever approve ..."

Oikawa waved a hand lightly.

"I can handle all of that," he said. "Just think of it, how cool would it be to have a giant pizza?"

This was Karasuno High School class 1-3's meeting to decide what booth they would be hosting for the upcoming school festival.

Kageyama didn't have so much interest in the process, not since his suggestion of it being volleyball-themed had been blocked by the class, after they decided they ought to do food and did not want to do curry. The current contenders were Oikawa's giant pizza-making robot against Class Rep Sawada's okonomiyaki stand.

Somehow, everyone except Kageyama was standing up, half on each end of the classroom. Oikawa was at the back, and Class Rep Sawada was next to the blackboard, where he had been organising the meeting.

―――Oikawa's voice carried passionately across the din:

"We'll make this the _Ultimate School Festival!"_

One look at the clock said that twenty minutes had passed. Kageyama, bored, rested his cheek against his hand and gazed out the window. The weather was very white with bright grey light, the clouds hid the sun, and it looked like it may rain. The weather people were saying that the snows may come early this year, and they would have a White Christmas. Kageyama hoped that if the snow did come, it wouldn't interfere with his volleyball training.

"Like this, isn't that so suspicious? A proposition so vague can't be trusted!" Class Rep Sawada cried. "What if he takes the money and runs, then what will we do?"

A small scoff escaped Kageyama's mouth like a puff. Class Rep Sawada didn't understand that Oikawa did not need money. Actually, Kageyama didn't want anything to do with whatever Oikawa had planned. Kageyama ...

"... Kageyama-kun!"

The shouting of his name by the Class Rep had him pay attention again.

Kageyama blinked.

Everybody in the class was looking his way.

"What?"

"We need you to vote," the Class Rep said. "Minami is sick today. So, the numbers are exactly even."

Kageyama blinked, again. In the corner of his vision he saw Oikawa making 'come hither' motions with one hand.

That, in itself, made Kageyama wish he could have skipped out and played volleyball instead, with the second-years who had invited him a little earlier.

"I vote for volleyball." Kageyama stated flatly.

"Which means, he votes for okonomiyaki!" the Class Rep announced.

Oikawa had his arms folded under his jacket now. Kageyama could never work out how Oikawa managed to make it hang off his shoulders like a gangster.

Behind Oikawa, Hinata Shōyō flitted hyperactively up and down, no doubt lured to that side by the promise of a giant robot and pizza.

Dramatically, Oikawa pointed at the other team. He singled out Class Rep Sawada.

"Since all of you are so stubborn, let's do this the hard way," Oikawa took a breath. "Bubble wrap death match!"

Kageyama already had a bad feeling.

"Bubble wrap death match?" the class chorused in unison.

"Yes."

―――Then Oikawa grinned. "... Just kidding."

"What ..."

"Uwoah!" Hinata exclaimed. "I can smell Air Salonpas!"

With a great leap, Oikawa swung out an arm, and his black jacket fluttered around him.

"I, Demon King Oikawa, command all of you, _to obey!"_

 

 

 

All the students in class 1-3 shuffled about. They glided to their seats slowly like they were zombies. Oikawa cheerily grabbed the chalk out of Class Rep Sawada's hand. He ran past him to the blackboard, and wrote in big, messy letters:

PLANNING FOR THE STALL OF THE GIANT PIZZA MAKING ROBOT

Then he spun around and clapped his hands. The synchronous noise of the chairs being pulled out and the simultaneous sound of landing fabric rumbled echoingly like a thunderclap. All the students sat down.

It should be said that every instance of the crowd's actions under Oikawa's influence did not include Kageyama.

When Oikawa started designating roles, Kageyama sighed and returned to looking out the window.

 

"―――Kishi and Sawada, you two will be in charge of crowd management. Recruit all the students you need. Please make sure that nobody gets too close to the robot arms!

"I will be in charge of toppings ..."

Somebody asked, "Then who will pilot it?"

"My penpal. Kuroo Tetsurō. He does not attend this school because he's at the Switzerland Academy of Pilot Mecha."

A wave of awe hushed through everybody seated.

"Eeeehh ..."

From nowhere, Oikawa pulled out a sheaf of photographs and looked very incredibly serious.

"This is his profile! So, his pilot outfit ... red, or black spandex?"

"Shouldn't it be silver, like the moon?"

...

As Oikawa handed out Kuroo's profile to the more eager class members, which were then given the role of designing a flight suit which Oikawa's cousin's sister in law's nephew's fashion designer uncle would create, Kageyama decided it was no longer worthwhile to continue listening.

There ...!

There, there was a cloud which looked like a volleyball.

"Tobio-chan?"

Oikawa's voice suddenly interrupted the cloud-watching.

"Can you and Hinata run advertising?"

Ignoring the sudden attention on him, Kageyama thought it best to ask for clarification.

"Advertising?"

One of Oikawa's index fingers moved in the shape of a circle. "Just run around, wear a sign, and make a nuisance of yourselves. In this class, the two of you are the most qualified."

Hinata, giving the conversation very close attention, pumped his fists and nodded with great enthusiasm.

"I'm great at running! I'll do it, for sure!"

"It's not about running," Kageyama snapped.

"It is! He said so."

"Then, it's settled," Oikawa announced, and turned to the blackboard. Under 'Advertising', he scrawled Hinata and Kageyama's names. "Next, let's work out who wants to help with machine maintenance ..."

"Yay!" Hinata shouted.

Kageyama tried to ignore the unsettling feeling attempting to overtake him.

 

 

 

It was not until after the Ultimate School Festival ended that Kageyama decided to finally ask the question which had been on his mind.

"Can you please stop using magic, Oikawa-san?"

In front of him, Oikawa was fooling with the remote which was used to control the crane that dropped the pizza toppings onto the giant pizza. The day had been a resounding success: this two-armed cuboid on a set of treads, kneading and tossing a ball of dough the size of a car without thought for the physics involved in scaling something to that size. It proved what Kageyama already knew, that physics were very indeed optional where the Demon King was involved. Even now there was a crowd trying to make their way around the platoon of oven trucks, which were lined up perpendicular to the front gate, because there was no way to bake such a huge creation in one piece.

Oikawa tossed the oversized chess piece up and down.

"I heard," Oikawa said, offhandedly, "that every year there has been a school festival, you have always invariably been in charge of rubbish ..."

Not this year.

Some people had congratulated Kageyama on the display for some reason, even though his contribution was all just wearing a shirt saying 'Giant Pizza-Making Robot At Karasuno High School Today 11:00' on the front and behind.

Oikawa turned his gaze to Kageyama.

"Did you have fun today?"

Actually, Kageyama spent the entire day either running after Hinata, or racing Hinata and definitely winning. Hinata took the 'running' task too literally, always making those aggravating faces, and not appreciating how Kageyama was 'trying' to do what they were assigned seriously. With all the work they accomplished, they could have been students visiting from another school instead of running a stall themselves.

Was that fun?

"... I did."

That was enough for Oikawa to leap to his toes and peer around.

"Then everything is fine. Wow, today was such a success!" He brightened when he spotted a distinctive person, higher up than everyone else, looking shrink wrapped in cupping red-and-black printed spandex. Sweat shone in the setting sun as they exited the metal hatch of the giant robot. Their hair was quite possibly the only thing not shiny about their entire appearance, if only because it spoked upwards and swallowed the light. "Kuroo, can you clean everything up? What are we going to do with all this pizza ..."

 

 

* * *

 

Some things are taken for granted. Why couldn't the acceptance that magic did not exist be one of them?

It's always that Kuroo-san cleaning up behind him. Even when we first met, the Demon King and I ... if it weren't for Kuroo-san, well ...

Maybe I would be dead.

...

Oikawa-san says, to tell a story, to start from the beginning.

 


	2. His Majesty of Luinreish

 

HIS EMINENTLY EVIL EXCELLENCY

 _demon king oikawa_ ♥

IS CURRENTLY NOT IN HIS PLACE OF RESIDENCE

(back in 10 years)

 

* * *

 

 

Some weeks ago, one minute before midnight, there was a rip in the sky.

It was a rip like the gods were playing poker and happened to tear the universe's fabric when leaning over to hand their next bets in. The rip was exactly that sort, borne from an accident, the fault of one too many long nights between those with insurmountable power and few ways to live beyond monotony.

A foot emerged from the rip. Following it was a leg. Then a second foot and a second leg. Soon a figure clothed in aristocratic garb was falling, falling, falling down _―――_

Kageyama did not expect to be woken up one minute before midnight by a loud crash in his room. When he opened his eyes, he could see the stars through a hole in his ceiling.

He scrambled up and noticed what had made it: a person under a large mantle.

They were not moving.

"H- Hey ..."

Kageyama wouldn't remember saying that. Not many people would be aware of themselves the instant after such an abrupt event, while somewhere alone.

"What's ..." The hazy surprise lessened enough for Kageyama to wake. A possibly dead person had just fallen through the ceiling. Kageyama rose from the mattress and approached them cautiously. "Hey, are you ..."

A hand shot out and wrapped around Kageyama's ankle. Instinctively he tried to pull his leg away, for the edge of long claws to press into his skin. No matter how hard he tugged, he couldn't release himself. The claws were too long for a human.

The figure, who Kageyama was thinking could be a were-mountain cat, lifted its head. Its eyes were large and golden.

It blinked, thus Kageyama blinked, then when Kageyama's eyes opened the not-dead person was on their feet. Their big cloak billowed fittingly over a tall, thin yet toned body, like a gymnast's or a setter's. He had a long coat, very long white over-knee boots, and a lot of golden metal bits on his clothing which sparkled in the dim light and seemed very impractical.

"Sorry for dropping in," the strange mountain cat person said. "Where am I?"

"My room," Kageyama answered.

"Um, like, is that a country on _Eaaarrrrrth?"_

"It's my room."

"A new _'My Room'_ planet?!"

"No," Kageyama said. This person was weird. "Earth."

At the moment, Kageyama hoped his parents should be entering his room, as the noise level was not very subtle. However he then remembered that both of his parents had once slept through an earthquake (a story which his aunts often reminded everybody of) and realised he, as the light sleeper, would be alone in resolving this unless he could make it to their room himself.

By this point in time, the weirdo had spun around. His mantle twirled in a floating arc, then settled. They dropped into a grandiose bow.

"Let me introduce myself most humbly," they said, "The Great Demon King, Ruler of the Sable Ninth, His Majesty of Luinreish, Oikawa.

"I'm sooooooo hyped to see someone in this planet that's your brand of smokin' hot, ohmigosh! Please treat me well ~♥!"

Following the very un-humble humble introduction was a breeze which made it very obvious that the ceiling still contained a hole. The hole was very close to being above Kageyama's bed, merely less than two metres away, and if it had been any closer then the weird stranger would have fallen on top of him.

Kageyama grabbed a nearby ruler. Finally the plastic stick would be useful outside a classroom.

"Get out, pervert," Kageyama ordered.

The weird mountain cat intruder wearing impractical clothes let out a gasp in a sound very close to a person choking. "Like, what?! Me? _Me?_ I'm not a pervert! Are you totally insaneeeeeeeeee ―"

"I'll call the police."

"Ehahaha. Lol, omg. There's no need for that, Kageyama Tobio."

Kageyama stiffened. The shock made it difficult to continue ignoring his heart thumping like loud and hollow echoing inside a tin can.

"How do you know my name?"

"It says so on your stuff," the weird pervert responded, with a gesture towards the uniform hanging on the wall.

"Geez, don't go freaking out on me," the weird pervert with apparently super vision added, "Just chillax for a sec, handsome. The memory spores will finish spreading in a few secs and then you won't remember a single thing ―"

Randomly for some reason Kageyama thought of a mushroom with brown hair.

"..."

"..."

The stranger spun around cheerily, heading for the door.

"Well, buh-bye ~"

―――And they stopped mid-step when Kageyama grabbed them by the wrist to make them slow down.

Their head did a painful-looking shaft head tilt to glance at Kageyama, like they were a middle-schooler deliberately trying to look cool, and their eyes met. Kageyama was struck by how young the stranger's gaze appeared to be, how large their golden irises were. They seemed like the same age.

"... A-ha," the weird pervert said.

Kageyama said, "..." and didn't break eye-contact.

"My god," the weird pervert said. "You _remember_ me. I don't even _believe_ in gods. Holy shit."

"Creep," Kageyama stated. "Get out of my room."

"Can't you tell I was, like, doing that?"

Kageyama pointed up at the hole in the roof with the ruler. The creep rolled their eyes.

"I'm flattered, darling, but just 'cuz I can mind wipe, I can't, like. Ha ha. Fly."

"Fix it."

"Nuu, that's totally not my style. lmao."

The situation was exasperating by this point. Kageyama didn't mean to growl.

"What are you?"

"Sheesh, how rude! Calling my beautiful self a 'what', didn't you, like, ev- _vur_ ―"

"Claws," Kageyama started listing, "weird clothes, weird eyes. It's not a cosplay. You talk like a g- girl even though you look like a guy―"

"Yo, my homie, wazzup with yo', eyyyyyy!"

"What ...?"

"Hell yeah brah!"

"You're not _normal!"_

Kageyama grabbed the weirdo by the hair.

Like this, for the first time wrestling, Kageyama realised that skulls were very round and there wasn't much difference between a person's head and a volleyball. There was a no-hold rule, he remembered absurdly, when he dug his fingers in the scalp and pushed at the pervert, some idea of making them quiet.

The weirdo pinched his sides (who _does_ that). Kageyama scowled and brought his arm back to punch. The ruler got in the way thus he thought of a different sport involving balls.

Kageyama swung the ruler with one hand like a baseball bat and expected it to hit or miss. He did not expect the plastic stick to hit the pervert's head, then bounce off something hard.

There were two horns, small stumps in the middle and rising out of their brown hair. Kageyama blankly looked at the ruler, which was now a large broken splinter.

"Owwie," the weird pervert guy with horns whined.

"W ... wh ..."

The stranger had his arms up and was fiddling with the horn that Kageyama hit.

"Eeew, if there's a split end, or any nerve damage, you are _so_ getting it, _mister―"_

_"What are you?!"_

―――Kageyama finally managed to say.

The stranger cleared their throat.

"I am, as people like to think, simply a humble man," they said matter-of-factly, "and it simply cannot be my fault that Japanese is an exceedingly difficult language to master, honoured sir."

"A ... ah ..."

It was true that Japanese would be hard for foreigners but the fluency made little sense actually.

Standing regally, drawing their shoulders back, spine poised so that it may achieve the fullest height, Kageyama realised this Oikawa person was taller than him and most definitely older. Oikawa closed his eyes. His countenance was thick with mourning. He was regretting.

"As the reigning leader of Luinreish, I must offer my fullest apologies for intruding in this manner. I understand now that I did not fully consider the consequences and I wish to make amends."

"..."

"Most certainly, I will thus have your roof fixed post-haste."

"... Right."

"Wow. You really don't trust me."

"Mn-hm."

"How fortunate that we could come to an agreement!"

―――And then the weird stranger punched a hole in the floor.

Loud snapping, buckling, the sounds cracked through the air's essence just like it suddenly cracked through the wooden boards. Krrkkk. Bwamph! Kageyama leapt back in case it would reach the area beneath his feet and raised an arm against a wavefront of flying shards.

By the time the air cleared, Oikawa was gone.

Peering down the hole showed a tatami floor, and the sight of a cape dashing past the shrine and into the hallway.

Any patience Kageyama still had left vanished and he ran to the stairs to chase the intruder.

Kageyama saw the time on a wall clock and tried not to growl.

Where were his parents anyway?!

Fortunately the intruder was still in the house, because Kageyama found him at the sink in the kitchen, running water into the basin. He was turned away from the door, so he didn't notice Kageyama when he stopped with their real baseball bat in his hands.

"―――tsurō-taaaan, the DTT ditched me in the middle of nowhere! Are you _sure_ you set the anchor up correctly?"

The pervert Oikawa was talking to something in the basin.

"What? Ha ha, I might have sneezed a bit, you aren't saying ..."

Kageyama lifted the bat. What a suspicious guy.

As he got closer, things became strange. The feeling of the bat in his grip reminded him of P.E. baseball, and it was like he was walking past the home base, closer and closer to the pitcher. He imagined seeing through the helmet and looking into the pitcher's startled eyes. It was unsportsmanly conduct. What was Kageyama doing? He was breaking the rules of the game.

Kageyama shook his head. There was an intruder in front of him. Definitely a pervert. Maybe a mountain cat. The intruder mountain cat pervert was strong enough to make a hole through the roof and then punch another hole down from the second storey too.

The bat wobbled.

Suddenly, a shout echoed from the hallway.

"Tobio! Did you find him?"

Kageyama jumped. But it was only his mother, he realised, and relief filled him. Another pair of footsteps sounded, heavier ones, and they meant his father was also on his way.

At the sink, Oikawa raised his head.

"Give up," Kageyama ordered, making sure the threat of the bat was noticed.

"My clothes?" Oikawa played coy.

With a mountain of towels in her arms, Kageyama's mother appeared in the doorway.

"You found him! ――Eeh, Tobio, it's a bit late to be playing baseball."

What?

Oikawa strode past Kageyama's ear in a sweep of glittering fabric ocean.

"But, I just _love_ baseball, Auntie! Tobio-chan was just so eager to show me the correct form, you know?"

"There's the helpful son we know and love," a deeper voice boomed contently.

Once his father appeared, and went to stand by his wife, to Kageyama it was like the air and the room had shrunk. The huge mass next to the doorway was claustrophobic, sealing the exit. There was no way the small kitchen was made to fit four people.

Kageyama swallowed.

"What ...?"

"What?" Kageyama's father repeated. "Don't be rude, now, Tobio, especially not after offering to let your childhood friend stay here after his house flew away."

Impossible. Childhood friend? Kageyama's stare shot to Oikawa immediately, even as his parents embraced passionately as if nothing were wrong.

"Aahh, Miho, we raised such a noble son!"

"Aoi, it was _all_ thanks to you!"

"No, my dear. You, _my love_ ―"

"My _gorgeous_ ―――!"

Kageyama realised through the haze of confusion that Oikawa wasn't smiling, or anything like that. Oikawa was standing there and looking ... looking directly _up._

And that was when the sky fell crashing down.

 

 

 

Kageyama coughed. He slapped at his chest. He was trying to get the disbelief out of his lungs with the dust. With them was some small amount of mild disgust at himself for assuming his parents would be able to deal with this problem well. He was surrounded by sirens and what made for an unbelievable sight.

There: a two-storey house, with light brown walls and silver-framed sliding windows, and instead of a roof, an even larger hole than the earlier hole, this one made of with broken slate pieces and fragmented metal shards. Sticking up from the hole was the remains of a helicopter, its rotor feebly turning in the breeze which had gathered, and behind it, there was some smoke which was billowing huge plumes into the dark air.

There were fire trucks gathered in the front, flashing red spots outside. Shine-shine-shine-shine, against a brick fence, lighting up the name plate and the bicycle of the local policeman. A muffle behind Kageyama and his parents was the local policeman yawning.

A little further down the road was an unmarked black sedan with a red siren put on top, and two people in suits. One had a police band pinned on their arm, talking about the details with the other ― the pilot of the helicopter.

Kageyama's parents were in each other's arms and being lovey-dovey. They gushed over each other and over Kageyama and he ignored them with long-time practice, since he was used to it as their only son.

A fireman approached to their side.

"There's been no fire damage to your property. Everything should be fine now. We've confirmed there's no danger, though you may wish to wait for the engineers to survey the structural damage tomorrow ..."

"Don't worry about that."

The unknown suited man stepped forward. He ran a hand through his hair and his jacket shifted to reveal a well-fitting waistcoat. How he stood caught the light of the moon, which shone onto his shoulders as if a spotlight, and the hair bounced back like a fleeting shadow compared to the custom and expensive-appearing slate grey fine cotton of the suit.

Eyes half-hooded his gaze settled past Kageyama, onto the person who Kageyama was trying very strongly to not be associated with, then that set of clear, golden disks settled on the fireman.

The fireman appeared to have noticed exactly what Kageyama did, that Oikawa's irises were also golden, turning to the stranger to ask, "Is he a relative?"

A small distance appeared in the stranger's eyes.

"That can be said it is of a sort."

"Who are you?" Kageyama's father asked gruffly, seeming like he wanted to protect Kageyama all of a sudden.

The stranger explained. He was Kuroo Tetsurō, and on the board of several multinational banks. He was a chairperson for a company which operated global hotel chains that even Kageyama recognised some names of. His luxury four-seater helicopter full of real leather seats and the latest in electronic gadgetry had unfortunately encountered an issue during a routine, midnight joyflight, but luckily, there were no other people on board when it crashed.

Kageyama's mother gaped.

"Ohh, how awful! For your engine to malfunction at such a place ... luckily you were able to land on our house!"

"Please accept my apologies. I will compensate most well."

As soon as Kuroo finished speaking, a limousine appeared. Then, it was like Kageyama was frozen, since in the next moment―――

The fire trucks. The cars. The people.

―――All of it, they were gone.

"Finally awake?"

Kageyama blinked and rubbed his eyes and saw he was in his house. Oikawa was sitting on a table and Kuroo was sitting in a chair. He looked around and discovered the line of yellow police tape was still around, shining brightly outside the window, the only remaining proof that something had occurred which was now mostly gone.

Kuroo peered at him.

"So he can be affected by some magics. Just not the memory-influencing one?"

"You see, how he's looking at me?" Oikawa pointed out. "He remembers. Don't feel inadequate, if your ability isn't enough, no?"

Kageyama noticed that the room only had the three of them.

"What did you do with my parents?"

The mantle shifted and glittered, as Oikawa shrugged then looked to Kuroo pointedly.

Kuroo explained, "They're staying the night at a resort. You didn't ask, but the others all left with a little suggestion magic. All of them have also forgotten ever having seen Lord Oikawa in their lives. Well, except you."

"So, you're ..."

"I am Kuroo, Master Knight Warlock of Luinreish. I was sent ahead to gather resources and prepare this world for Lord Oikawa's arrival. Now, would you like to stay with your parents, or will you rather sleep in your own room tonight?"

"My room? But, it's ..."

Kageyama recalled the helicopter which had, for all appearances, seemingly been blind to the presence of the roof. His room would not be in any state to sleep within.

There was a dainty sort of 'ahem', and Kageyama noticed that Oikawa had a plate of sandwiches in his hands. They were perfectly cut into tiny rectangles and were not there a second ago, which of course meant that ...

Oh. Magic.

Oikawa took a very contented bite out of something that looked like it was filled with eel.

"Take him to the resort, Kuroo. His parents can fill him in on the cover story we worked so hard on."

"Yes, Lord Oikawa."

"Cover story? Why would you ..." Kageyama was through shock enough for it to become strange, as if he was told of when the world would end. His parents, they were a little mad, but no, surely they ... "Why would they ..."

Nobody was listening to him.

Kuroo handed some small object to Oikawa, with a set of earplugs which hung off his fingers.

"Here are some audiobooks, to learn proper Japanese."

"Aw, how boring."

"I put the Cardcaptor Sakura drama CDs on this device, Lord Oikawa."

In a flash, the music player was in Oikawa's grasp, and then it vanished in the giant mantle. Then, Oikawa looked down at his clothes, looked to Kuroo, and then to Kageyama. He made a small 'hmm' sort of sound, and―――

 

It was daytime and the sky was clear bright blue, shining through glass panes.

Kageyama's entire body jolted upwards in reflex, so suddenly it felt like his torso was left behind.

"Nanase Haruka, don't you go and ..."

"Sorry, I'm afraid you must have the wrong person. This is ..."

The second voice was familiar, in a hazy sort of way. Kageyama put a hand to his head and the haze became fog outside instead of inside. He could smell soap, and feel moisture in the air, tropical. Flashes of green were big, leafy trees, and underneath him was one of those chairs, those long ones which were always shown with a mostly-naked woman wearing just a bikini.

In the distance was shouting and a loud splash, so it seemed ...

This was a swimming pool.

"Tobio's awake!"

His mother's voice shouted, now absolutely clear.

His parents were there.

This must have been the resort.

After shooing away whoever had mistaken him, his parents asked him how his childhood friend was doing, gushed about how wonderful it was they won this vacation in a lottery, and discussed over Kageyama's head if he was old enough to mind if sweet Oikawa-kun borrowed his clothes or shared his room.

Kageyama finally understood the nature of the 'end of the world' feeling.

 

 

 

They went home that evening. The ceiling was fixed. There was a new ruler on his desk. The clothes in his closet had been professionally re-folded and rearranged so neatly that, if his name was not on them, he wouldn't have realised they were his. He even found a sheet of correct worked answers for maths quiz he'd gotten 28% on.

Even so, Kageyama could not help but stare at how his bed had been transformed into a bunk bed. The bedsheets of the top bunk were black, edged with gold piping. No, their colour was teal. Kageyama turned his head and realised they were ruby. He did not bother attempting to determine the shape of the pillows. Clearly it was the bed of somebody who could not decide what they wanted, or somebody who decided they wanted everything.

There was a real gate at the end of the ladder, with its own keyhole and brass knockers, and a sign on it which said:

This is 'my' bunk!!

Keep out, Tobio-chan♥

 

 

* * *

 

The story of how we met was straight-forward. Oikawa-san said that many things were straight-forward, so long as you were smart enough to recognise the games the world obeyed.

I did not know his meaning when he said 'games', this time. Volleyball? Baseball? Mahjong? Shogi?

...

Whatever, I thought. I thought it did not matter.

Well. This is how, I'm now living with the Demon King. As for why ... it would be a while, until he told me.

 


	3. Every Morning I Ski In Antarctica

Staying quiet, and being ignored, are two different things.

It is harder to stay quiet. Though it's easy to learn the value of silence. The less a person talks, the more time there is for them to do what they want to do.

But, being ignored, it's like you don't exist. It's like wanting to know you're not there in the universe, out alone.

Otherwise, you would be a ghost, in those horror shows, wouldn't you?

 

* * *

 

 

The Demon King was registered at the school as one 'Oikawa Tōru'.

For a transfer student to appear in the class with little more than two months left in the year, of course there would be a crowd of curious admirers.

"Oikawa-kun, you're a transfer student from Antarctica?"

"Yes! Every morning, I ski with penguins and snowboard with polar bears. Look!"

From somewhere, Oikawa procured a glossy photograph, and in it, was a picture of himself surrounded by white snow. He was wearing ski gear and had a set of large yellow goggles on his head. In the foreground was a penguin with something around its neck. Two pom-poms looked like they hung off Oikawa's hat but Kageyama could see that they were placed over where his horns would have belonged.

The crowd around Oikawa's desk murmured 'Eeeeeeeeeehhhh~' like B-list celebrities on a variety show. They saw nothing weird about this Demon King stuffed into one of Karasuno's black jackets and trousers.

Carefully, Kageyama looked to Oikawa, who was striking the same peace sign pose as he was in the photo.

It made sense that the horns were gone since they weren't a part of the dress code yet where would they have disappeared to was the question.

All the other students had different questions.

"Are you liking Japan?"

"Can you tell us about Seijō Academy?"

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

"How did you become childhood friends with Kageyama-kun?"

Now that Oikawa sufficiently 'wow'ed the class with the mysterious transfer student archetype, he smiled broadly and proceeded to answer everything most humbly.

 

 

 

It was getting harder for Kageyama to ignore the existence of his most newest apparent childhood friend.

"Geez, you're running so fast, it's like you're avoiding me!"

Now. Yes. But Kageyama was trying to jog his usual morning run, and he would have finished already if this leech of a Demon King hadn't tagged along and complained so much the sky started raining. The leech must have been giving Kageyama his karma.

Though he wasn't really a leech. He paid for board. Kageyama always saw the cash.

Not that Kageyama wanted to think about where the money would really have been from.

Kageyama tugged up his hood.

"What do you want?"

"Nothing ~!"

"Then stop stalking me!"

There was a sound like a disbelieving gasp, or the fart of a balloon losing air.

"But, what if I wanted to be in your company ...?"

Kageyama made a point to run even faster.

 

 

 

"Hoy hoy, Tobio-chan."

It was with great determination that Kageyama continued to stare inside the vending machine, instead of at the hazy reflection atop the glass. His eyes hovered left and right. Which button ought he press? Perhaps the reason there were multiple buttons was because one of the yoghurt drink lines had an earlier expiry date than the other.

"Tobio-chan, Tobiooooooo ..."

Scowling, Kageyama swung his arm in a punch.

With a gasp, Oikawa jolted back, his hands raised in the air exaggeratedly in surprise.

"Aaah! So violent!"

The vending machine made small 'pop's as Kageyama's knuckles bounced off the buttons, then a clanging sound. The yoghurt drink tumbled and fell noisily into the receptacle.

He was stalked by Oikawa on his return to the classroom.

"You're awful rude when your childhood friend wants to spend time with you."

There were a lot of girls in the hallways today, as they met up and chatted with friends from other classes. It was always obvious, when the hallways were full of girls, with the skin-colour showing under the edges of their short skirts, and the brightness of their silky bows resting on their bosoms, lit by the warm light outside the corridor windows.

As Kageyama was in the second-year hallways, nobody was around that he knew. He was taking the alternate route to avoid people but his stalker continued to follow.

"Tobio-chan, now you're just ignoring me. Is this how you treat all the ladies? No wonder you're single. Truly, Destiny-san must have decided for us to meet. What a hopeless man you are."

Slowly, a few at a time, the second-year girls started to turn around, when they noticed the first-years in their territory. It may have been the volume of Oikawa's voice, or some feminine sense of smell. They all shifted at once, then shifted back into their old positions, and were it not for Oikawa's head turning, Kageyama would not have noticed they moved at all.

Oikawa hopped to Kageyama's side.

"So, so, a question? Are there aliens, time travellers, or psychics in this school?"

Kageyama took one more drag through the straw. A loud slurping noise echoed in both his ears, telling him sadly his drink carton was empty.

"You're the only alien in this class," Kageyama muttered.

There it was ― the first giggle. Kageyama noticed it for sure, even whilst Oikawa responded after.

"Aawww, don't tell me, you're not even curious? We should start a club. Where are the forms? I'm sure there's someone who knows where the forms are ..."

Now there was a bit of whispering amongst the giggling. Their voices chattered, much higher pitched and more developed than what Kageyama was used to.

Way back in the first month, Kageyama was preparing to go to volleyball club practice when he overheard his seat-mate Morishita describing stories about the girls of Karasuno High. Like the crows in the school name, they were most definitely not to be trifled lightly. His brother, who was now graduated, had returned home one day looking like a dozen birds had pecked him everywhere in search of bread.

"Beware, when they start to giggle," Morishita had said solemnly to the small gathering of first-year boys, arms folded in front of him, "When they giggle, that is the first sign that you're their next target. Flee, double-fast! Else, the senior girls will haze you with all the meaningless errands."

For some reason, though it didn't seem like the girls were caring so much as they were still interested in their own conversations, Kageyama felt a chill and an urge to tug his shirt down, further over his pants. The giggling was beginning to sound a bit like a swarm.

There was no wonder why so few people took this route. Every moment, it looked like the girls were multiplying, and it seemed as if they'd erased all the males left in the second-year cohort.

Kageyama tried not to dart his eyes around so much. He was taller than them. But they were all senpai.

Much like how a small animal would become sensitive to the location of predators in the terror of being hunted, the girls' voices started to grow clearer.

"―――Look, it's him."

"Who?"

"That one, there. The handsome one, with the brown hair."

"Wow! What an attractive guy!"

"Right? Seems like he just transferred into the first-year class. What's he ...?"

"I recognise that. He's quoting. To be an otaku with those looks, what a shame ..."

"Otaku or not, he's still totally my type!"

"Nana, you have to stop going for the younger men ...!"

The squealing which ensued had Kageyama consider that somebody was about to die very soon. It should not have been possible for the human voice to make such a high-pitched sound, so piercing it could have been a fire alarm.

Standing straighter, he rapidly picked up his pace to the staircase at the other end.

―――only to walk into something soft and something pointy.

"Ah ― Kageyama?"

All Kageyama noticed at first was that the person he bumped wore a skirt, so he hastily leapt back and bowed.

"I apologise on his behalf!"

Then, the familiarity of the voice registered, and his gaze cast upwards.

Shimizu Kiyoko had her hand raised over her mouth, and her large eyes were wide in surprise. Her glossy, dark hair fell around her throat, brushing feather-lightly against the edge of her collar's blouse. The pointy thing which Kageyama had walked into was her elbow. The soft thing ...

Oh.

"These are the second-year hallways," Kageyama blurted.

Her lips made the shape of a small smile as she lowered her hand to the side.

"And you're a first-year, aren't you?"

"Hmmmn? Hmmmmnn? Who is this, Tobio-chan?"

The annoying voice finally caught up with him. Hurrah. Oikawa's presence brushed around them as if the Demon King wore it in a cape.

Kageyama realised he was supposed to introduce them.

"Shimizu-san, this is Oikawa-san. He's ..."

"Tobio-chan's childhood friend!"

"... yeah. Sure. Oikawa-san, this is Shimizu-san, who is the volleyball club's manager."

"Oh!" Oikawa exclaimed. "That means, you would know where to get club application forms, wouldn't you?"

Shimizu blinked, then with complete poise and grace, she answered his query politely.

"What would this club be for?" Shimizu then questioned.

"To solve the world mysteries, and to unite students all!"

"How very unique."

Only Kageyama noticed the subtext that she doubted such a club would be approved, and was indulging Oikawa's imagination purely because he was Kageyama's childhood friend.

Childhood friend. Everything was becoming troublesome all at once.

Somehow Kageyama ought to have realised it would be the beginning.

 

 

 

"Childhood friend."

"Childhood friend."

So many copies of that phrase, everywhere.

Inside the club room, Kageyama had only just thrown his bag down, and it was then that he was swarmed by his bald and spiky-head seniors.

"Kageyama! That childhood friend!"

"Yo! Why'd you let someone so handsome into our school?"

A person would think that second-years had more restraint, but apparently, with only other first-years around, Nishinoya Yū and Tanaka Ryū found it fit to crowd as much as they wanted. But then, that person obviously knew nothing about Karasuno's volleyball club, where wildness was disciplined by its own sort of discipline.

"Oi, weren't you two meant to set up the hall today?"

The voice belonged to one Sugawara Kōshi calling as he entered through the doorway. Kageyama and the others greeted Sugawara as the two second-years yelped and ran out shouting their greetings behind them.

Behind Sugawara was Azumane Asahi, who somehow managed to hide unseen until Sugawara deposited his bag to one side. He too was greeted with hello's. It was only the two of them out of the three third-years, Kageyama noticed, and Azumane, passing by, noted this observation also.

"Your friend," Azumane said. "Daichi's talking with him. He says he wants to know more about the sport?"

With a small bow and a quick 'thank-you', Kageyama wandered outside the club room. From the second storey he could easily see the captain and Oikawa next to him.

―――Actually, Oikawa seemed to be ... touching. The Demon King's hand was on Sawamura's arm. Sawamura's mouth was half-open, like he was frozen, or something.

Irritation burned in Kageyama's mind. Oikawa could disturb his class time, that was fine. Oikawa could disturb his room, whatever, Kageyama only ever slept in there. But, if he were purposefully delaying the captain and cutting into a volleyball session ...

"Kageyama!"

Hinata's voice was as loud as his hair. He was sticking his head out of the club room, pretending to dangle an imaginary can between three fingers.

"You left your drink carton," Hinata accused. "I'm not gonna throw it out for you this time."

Kageyama rolled his eyes.

"I was gonna go back."

"At least take it so you can just chuck it into burnables."

"Who taught you to sort rubbish, dumbass? Cartons go with papers."

A third voice yelled from inside. "Tetra-packs are landfill!"

And that was how Kageyama was pulled into an argument about the classification of the world order, to ensure the streets were not polluted, for the cleanliness which was the duty of all Japanese inhabitants to preserve.

So drawn into this, that by the time Kageyama looked around again after the arguing voices finished debating for how long each of them had been tasked with ensuring household garbage would be placed on time for weekly collection, versus how many times it had been returned due to incorrectness (Ha, Kageyama won) ...

By then, Oikawa was gone.

 

 

 

When Kageyama arrived home, late after club, he found Oikawa's shoes kicked into either corner of the entryway, a set of club application forms thrown in the umbrella stand like it was a wastebin, and Oikawa himself walking around in garish green slippers much like a rooster with something to say.

"―――Storms are awful, our livestock are especially sensitive to rain, so I took it upon myself to help personally the farmers with raising their hatchlings to higher ground."

Kageyama neared and discovered that Oikawa was talking with two attentive parents, entranced with every word.

The smell of spice meant dinner was ready. It would be a miracle if, one day, his mother would be as good at following the waste disposal handbook as she was with making sure Kageyama always had something to eat after a long day.

His parents greeted him.

"Welcome home, Tobio."

Kageyama's father was home early today, as he was the past few days. He added more information.

"Oikawa was telling us about his hometown, before he moved to live in a tent in our backyard."

There really was no response for that backstory chosen.

"Ah."

With that, Kageyama went back to the entryway and neatened Oikawa's shoes together. He took the club application forms, sorted them in order, then, as he was being followed, pressed them into Oikawa's face.

"Nnnmph," Oikawa said through the paper.

Kageyama had no sympathies.

"Put it in recycling, if you don't want it."

"But I do."

"Put it _somewhere_ , then."

"I did."

Kageyama dropped his hand and let Oikawa catch the papers when they fell. As Kageyama prepared to go to the dinner table, Oikawa made a sighing sort of noise.

"Tobio-chan, do you know a teacher who would want to sponsor a club?"

There was a pause as Kageyama gave Oikawa a glance.

"You won't brainwash them?"

"Do I come across as someone who wants to brainwash everyone I meet?"

A meaningful silence ensued. There was a loud disapproving sound. Kageyama looked around to see Oikawa holding a hand out, as if to say, 'look here'.

"Your parents, you're annoyed they've accepted me as they have, am I right?"

Kageyama's response was still silence, so Oikawa's hand waved up and down like he could beckon an answer out of him.

"But, they were always this absent-minded, were they not? I could tell from the moment the original memory spores reached them. So with my boarding fees, they're in fact doing better than they were before."

The silence following those statements was answer enough. The Demon King was entirely correct.

"I know this is right," Oikawa proclaimed.

"What do you want?"

Blinking, Kageyama surprised himself with how tense his voice had become.

Oikawa's smile was serene when he spoke.

"A fabulous school life."

He nodded, self-satisfiedly, for something must have appeared on Kageyama's expression.

"Did you think I was going to say I wanted to rule the world? Ruling the world is so very _boring_ , alright. Having a loyal servant who will never betray you to do it all for you is definitely without a doubt the best way to go, especially if they are good-looking as a bonus."

Realisations emerged, clustering all at once. "Kuroo-san."

"Bingo. Please think of these things which are straightforward. There are many things which should not be made complicated. Simply be smart, recognise the games the world obeys, then win them."

It was because games were mentioned that Kageyama thought about the words. They sounded flippant and detached, like that of a spectator rather than a participant, those coaches which enjoyed watching a sport more than contributing their best efforts to achieve victory.

"Are you playing a game, Oikawa-san?" Kageyama asked.

Oikawa's smile widened.

"Aren't you?"

 

 

* * *

 

He says the world is made of games.

I don't know. I didn't consider it. Not then.

What was a 'fabulous school life', anyway? It's impossible to always keep winning.

―――Of all the games in the world, it felt like he was saying that volleyball was not one of them.

 


	4. Chopsticks Are Difficult to Master

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~May the Fourth be with you.~~

I am Kageyama Tobio.

―――the starting setter for Karasuno High School's volleyball team.

 

* * *

 

 

One fraction of a moment, an explosion of energy, aggression launched like an arrow toward an enemy, the feeling invisible and tangible from pixels. The volleyball jump serve.

Staring down at a volleyball, Kageyama pondered it. How the takeoff was run into, how to control the toss when the ball would leave his hands. What feeling in the spike so the ball does not veer off-way. There were many factors. Kageyama replayed his last practice in his mind, the few serves where he'd done it how he wanted, to break the successes down.

He was called 'psychic' by his teammates for learning the technique behind a float serve by watching Yamaguchi practice it in periods of downtime.

For the past two years Kageyama tried learning the jump serve and continually failed at succeeding.

Sugawara suggested, if Kageyama were able to find someone to watch doing jump serves, then he would be able to overcome the current block he was experiencing.

"How's this, Tobio-chan?"

The annoying voice of the Demon King made its way into Kageyama's consciousness.

With reluctance, Kageyama put the volleyball back on the stand in the shop and looked for where Oikawa was standing.

Oikawa was wearing a blue and white soccer jersey, arm against his hip jutting proudly.

Kageyama asked; "Why do I have to be here?"

The answer came quickly and with grandiosity.

"Your parents thought little ol' me, who's been living in a small country town for the past eleven years, would get overwhelmed while searching for new clothes in such a big city."

"Sendai isn't that big."

"Help me, Tobio-chan! I'm lost, soooo loooooosssstttttttt ...!"

―――Of course Oikawa would proceed to cry and croon so loudly that people were beginning to look over.

"Join the soccer club."

"Well, this does make my legs look good. And, they've won all their matches this season, unlike you."

That was a reminder of events which caused Kageyama's chest to clench. In junior high, and high school, there was always one school which everyone thought predestined to win. 'How did you know?' was a question which he thought of asking, if Oikawa was from another world as claimed.

But how the fact was known did not matter.

He said instead,

"Shiratorizawa is not known as a powerhouse lightly."

 

 

 

"What is it like?"

Kageyama asked the question as he watched the chef behind the counter ladling milky-white broth. Its fragrance could be smelled from the seats they sat in. Those bowls went to some customers who had entered before them.

From peering at the disposable chopstick slab, Oikawa's gaze went up to him.

"What is what like, Tobio-chan?"

"Where you come from. Lei ... Luon-rain."

"Luinreish?"

There was no opportunity to apologise or confirm; their own bowls landed in front of them. But it seemed that, as Oikawa proceeded to talk, he did not need the extra confirmation.

"Its full name is Luinreish, the Floating City. I am its king. My banquet hall was four times this room's size. It was high up enough that you could see the sea from the windows. And the entire floor is clear, to let the dragon egg hive glow up brightly from the level under."

Kageyama reached for his chopsticks.

"Dragon eggs?"

Oikawa's smile grew mysterious, and Kageyama thought he may have seen a fang.

"Dragon eggs let out a glow that reacts with minerals, to create an energy source. It's used to power the seaships and airships between all the countries. The dragons, they're this big when they hatch." Oikawa reached for a small sesame seed floating on the egg in his rāmen, sniffed it, then dabbed it into his mouth. "Hmmn. This is crunchier."

Once he finished talking, Oikawa licked the finger which he'd plonked into his food. It was such an obvious motion, it was embarrassing.

Kageyama glanced around, discovering in how the chef's attention changed that they had noticed such an unsightly display.

Pointedly Kageyama snapped his chopsticks, and to his relief, Oikawa mimicked him.

But Oikawa then rubbed the sticks together, stabbed them into the broth so that he may roll the noodles around them, and mumbled over the strands while he was eating.

"What is this? This is fantastic."

Speaking was hard around Kageyama's growing horror.

"Rāmen."

Another lump was rolled around the wood, larger this time, resembling a very floury candied apple.

"Ra-men? Aah, noodle. Your Japanese food is marvellous."

In the edge of Kageyama's vision, the chef's expression became wry.

"Foreigners ..." ―――Kageyama could imagine the exasperated but proud sigh. Oikawa's loud praise was surely embarrassing, though praise was praise nonetheless.

... Even if Oikawa was currently pressing his mouth to the edge of the bowl, drinking the soup hunchbacked. A bit like a dog. How awful.

Surely, there had to be table manners for demon kings.

"Are you interested in dragons?" Oikawa asked suddenly.

"No."

"What're you going to do after high school?"

"Volleyball."

"Isn't that hard? To become a professional."

Rather than respond, Kageyama concentrated on balancing the noodles dangling into his spoon. He felt Oikawa's brown eyes on him yet he had a feeling that Oikawa was not being attentive to how Kageyama used his cutlery.

Without breaking his gaze, Oikawa reached out and drank from the sugary drink he'd insisted on choosing.

"So cold," Oikawa complained. "It's just a question. You're such a real tsundere, you know."

 

 

 

They left the ramen restaurant and Oikawa paid.

"What wonderful local delicacies," he was saying.

Kageyama continued to ignore him while looking down at the next item on the list which his mother had made. They were stopped at a small sitting area, so the other person no doubt responsible for getting the ideas in her head could adjust his laces. The list said: Fitness clothes, lunch, fashion outfits, karaoke ...

Karaoke? What an idea that was, spending the entire day bogged by this person-shaped load.

When Oikawa stood upright, Kageyama pointed.

"The station is that way."

Oikawa released a gasp dramatically.

"It can't be, you're abandoning me?! How horrible."

"I have to practice."

"Mmhmmn."

Kageyama recalled the last time that the Demon King had agreed easily. That was moments before punching a hole in the floor. Somehow Kageyama couldn't really trust him.

Challengingly, Oikawa stared Kageyama in the eyes.

"Why so skeptical?" Whenever Kageyama's gaze averted, as was polite, Oikawa's head followed, so that Kageyama felt a bit like he was deliberately trying to be a nuisance, foreigner or not. "Would you look at me? Whatever are you scared of? I may know a bit about volleyball."

The statement was so sudden, Kageyama froze and Oikawa caught his gaze. A smug expression emerged, definitely with fangs.

"You must learn to think more quietly."

Some disoriented feeling swelled in Kageyama's throat and he blurted his first thought, like it could deliver clarity.

"Is there anything you can't do?"

"I can't read minds." Oikawa's fang grin stayed, entirely cheek. "But all Tobio-chan ever thinks of is volleyball, it's not difficult to guess accurately."

There wasn't any desire to argue what the truth was.

"The magic, there are no limitations?"

"Of course there are."

Nearly a minute passed. Oikawa kept smiling his broad grin. It became apparent that Kageyama was not going to be getting an answer.

"And?"

"I don't see why I should tell you."

One of Oikawa's arms moved outwards in an arc, a bit like he were re-positioning an invisible barrier. The discontent which Kageyama had was appeased by this motion slightly, as Oikawa then waved his other arm in a mirroring movement, continuing his talking.

"My magic is all-encompassing. It is all-knowing. And, it has chosen you."

From above, a shower of sparks fell. They spun around the both of them like little, colourful confetti pieces, and when Kageyama looked closer, he saw that each piece had little heads, little legs, little claws ...

The words emerged from Kageyama's lips without thought.

"Are these dragons?"

His nails steadily becoming sharper, his eyes ever more golden as he basked in the display, it looked like Oikawa didn't hear the question.

"Do you think merely _anybody_ can resist the Demon King Oikawa's ultimate allure?"

Oikawa waved around, nodding to himself, and folded his arms onto his chest.

"No. Because Tobio-chan is only thinking of volleyball. So, he doesn't realise how much I like him, or he likes me, too."

"That's being ridiculous." Kageyama tried to change the topic back to what would give him the answers he wanted. "What do you know about volleyball?"

"Many things."

"What things?"

"Lots."

"Tell me."

"I won't."

Kageyama realised he was scowling.

"Hey ―"

"Well, would you like to see them?"

There was no more hesitation.

"Yes."

Oikawa tilted his head, pretend-confused, hand raised to his chin thoughtfully. "Yes?"

Most definitely, Kageyama knew for certain, he was being stringed.

But the hope in the well over his heart radiated a patience, which dampened any irksome feelings from being pulled in circles. The desire to win overcame his pride. No ― the desire to win, it _was_ his pride.

Kageyama understood the nature of the unspoken request, and what it was he needed to say aloud.

"Please guide me in volleyball."

 

 

* * *

 

Karasuno High lost to Shiratorizawa. I had thought that high school life would be different, but, in both the Inter-High and the Spring Tournaments, Shiratorizawa continued to be the unstoppable straight-sets force which it had been for most of my junior high years.

Oikawa, this Demon King, he was a new quality. He said his magic chose me.

I wanted my answers. He is someone who is impossible. Surely, what I wanted to know ... it was with him.


	5. One Volleyball Wish

The first time I played volleyball, everyone else hated it. They said it sucked since the rotation rules were weird, or receiving needed so much effort. P.E. sport had a lot of complaints, always.

I ignored them. Volleyball is a lot. The air on the court. Clarity in heat and vision. If you fall, get up. Everyone has a chance to serve.

Only the best can stay until the end. And then you are the strongest.

Then, you win.

 

* * *

 

 

"Hold the ball out."

Oikawa demonstrated by lifting one hand up, so that his arm was raised parallel with the floor. Kageyama copied as all the other club members finished their stretches. He and Oikawa had arrived at the gymnasium early, Kageyama so eager to receive Oikawa's demonstration.

Inspecting Kageyama's posture, Oikawa nodded approvingly.

"So, volleyball has to do with shouting, right? It helps you play better, making sure everything is clear. Yes?"

Anticipation was thick in all of Kageyama's limbs, making him agree rapidly.

"Yeah."

"Then repeat after me: 'I am the bone of my ball.'"

"I am the bone of my ball!"

"'Fire is my blood and volleyball is my body.'"

"Fire is my blood and volleyball is my body!"

"'I have won over a thousand matches.'"

"I have won over a ..."

Speaking the words incited the firsts of a doubt. That wasn't correct. He's only played in the range of about a hundred official games.

Oikawa continued, seemingly not noticing how Kageyama stopped.

"Unknown to loss. Nor known to victory. Have withstood pain to save many rallies."

That was very strange, now.

"Yet, these hands will never spike the winning toss."

Kageyama's brows tightened together.

"―――Hah? What's the relevance?"

One of Oikawa's hands flapped carelessly around.

"Well, I thought Tobio-chan would like some motivation, you know. That's what protagonists always need when they hit a slump."

"You said you knew something about volleyball."

"I did."

"So?"

"So as I play, _Unlimited Ball Works!"_

A sudden yelling interrupted before Kageyama could voice his disbelief aloud.

"If you two are done roleplaying, some of us would like to use the court!"

Kageyama jolted.

Looking around, it seemed that everyone was ready to play, half the club already with coloured vests donned. Never let it be said that Ennoshita Chikara was not precise in his burns.

"Now, now," Sawamura said appeasingly. "This is Oikawa Tōru, Kageyama's childhood friend. He talked to me last week. He's very interested in volleyball."

"Yes!" Oikawa agreed. "Tobio-chan is always so obsessed with it, I really wanted to watch!"

Understandingly, Sawamura nodded.

"Please, don't be afraid to hesitate." A vest was held out towards Kageyama, who took it like a robot. "Okay everyone, let's get started!"

Hinata yelled "Boo-yah!" while running like a flash of orange from the bleachers onto the court. He wore a vest on, too.

Without further comment, Oikawa walked to the side where the scoreboard stood.

It wasn't until asshole Tsukishima said, "Some commoners don't want to wait _all day_ ," that Kageyama's gaze snapped back to the net. Unwillingly, being called 'King' returned like a flash. Just as quickly it was ignored. Karasuno High's volleyball club, his new team ...

Karasuno defeated the school where his past teammates had gone, and the significance of the memory.

Win to stay on the court.

Win with this team together.

 

 

 

In the break, it was Hinata who sought him out.

"You 'kay?"

Kageyama gazed at him over his drink bottle.

"Huh?"

"Your tosses were weird today."

While Kageyama was looking at his hands, trying to remember, Hinata put his drink bottle down and started doing stretches.

"Well, I guess even Kageyama can get nervous, with his childhood friend watching."

Kageyama's hands clenched into fists. A nausea like a headache bloomed behind his eyes.

"He's not my childhood friend."

It had taken less than two weeks for him to finally get sick of the story.

Mid-ankle stretch, Hinata's head bobbed upward.

"Eh?"

"He's magic. He changed everyone's memories."

Kageyama was ready to add that Oikawa had lied about his volleyball knowledge, or been making Kageyama go along with his roleplay, when suddenly an unsettling feeling emerged. It was exactly like the feeling when Oikawa had dropped into his room that one night.

So Kageyama blurted the rest of his words faster.

"He's not from this world. He's some Demon King. I met him the day before he transferred. That was the first time. He's ..."

Kageyama couldn't explain it, that feeling he had. He had to share the truth, at least with one other. This partner capable of following through on his best tosses had to be a good choice.

But his words faded when he realised Hinata wasn't looking his way.

"Salonpas," Hinata muttered.

An undeniable presence drew up to them. But it was not Oikawa's.

Kageyama turned at the hand on his shoulder to look at Sugawara's face, the other setter who was somebody Kageyama respected. Always good-humoured, except now staring with strong disapproval.

"Kageyama-kun. Please don't make things up."

Kageyama understood the subtext transforming it into an order, not a request.

Another presence appeared.

"Isn't he? I'm hurt."

Without having to look, Kageyama already knew. This time, it was the Demon King.

"I'm sorry on his behalf," Sugawara said, to Oikawa. "Daichi mentioned something like this may happen ... I should be a better senpai."

"It's okay, it's okay. You're a fine senpai, Suga-chan. Don't get all nervous, now. Thank Daichi-ni for me?"

Surrounded on three sides, it was eerie. After a quick nod, Sugawara left, and Kageyama stood taller, to reach his full height, so he could scan the rest of the hall. That was the moment he realised that something was wrong, because the hall was empty.

Kageyama's head spun towards Hinata.

"Oi, something's weird."

"Weird?" Hinata repeated.

"Sugawara-san is ..."

Kageyama did not know how to say that it was seriously abnormal for Sugawara to be talking like that or that their captain had the sort of character to prefer apologising in person.

So Hinata peered at Kageyama in confusion.

"What'cha talking about, Kageyama-kun?"

"Something's ..." weird.

Weird.

Suddenly Kageyama realised how Hinata had used his name sincerely, saying the words Kageyama _-kun._

He whirled onto Oikawa, the only one who wasn't acting oddly, but that was because he was always acting strange so this time wasn't an exception. Oh, and the Demon King had the power to change memories.

"You did something ...!"

The Demon King waved his hands.

"Now, now. Tobio-chan, don't panic ..."

"So it _was ―――_"

"Our affairs are private. I trusted you to keep the truth a secret. You're the one who forced my hand."

Hinata's head was bobbing around, an orange-toned distraction. "What's that? What's what? Who's he? Hey, Kageyama, answer me!"

One of Oikawa's fingers bumped Hinata's forehead. A gasping noise left Hinata's throat. It was because Kageyama happened to move towards Hinata a little, in his realisation of something occurring, that meant he was in the perfect position for Hinata to land against him when he fell.

Blankly, head near Kageyama's hip, Hinata's head was tilted upwards even as his eyes were closed.

Instantly Kageyama's gaze was demanding answers.

The Demon King appeared unfazed.

"Passive suggestion magic."

Kageyama realised he was glaring.

"That's 'passive'?"

"No way, Tobio-chan. That's sleeping."

"But you just said ..."

"Please wait for me to finish." Oikawa admonished. "Suggestion magic is a relatively low-power way of influencing the environment. But your friend here, he's very persistent. It makes him a poor target. Therefore, I had to increase the strength in a slight manner, but it seems I accidentally put too much energy into the sleeping spells."

In his voice, the slowness of Oikawa's words, it seemed to Kageyama that he was being treated as if he were in grade school. But it was all content which Kageyama did not care in the least about.

Everything which Oikawa was saying ...

"Your face says you don't care, Tobio-chan."

Forcibly Kageyama moved his head so Oikawa couldn't see him. He ended up staring back at Hinata. Some of Hinata's drool was getting onto Kageyama's shorts, now.

When Oikawa spoke next, it was with disappointment in his tone.

"You're not curious about magic at all? I could give you anything you want. I want to give you 'anything you could want'."

"I want you to leave me and everyone alone."

"You can't possibly mean that. Please reconsider that."

The hurt in his voice, it was genuine and raw. Kageyama had the strangest feeling he'd turned a fluffy animal away from shelter, the more seconds passed and Oikawa shrunk into his shoulders.

But, instead of protesting as he was likely to, Kageyama was surprised when Oikawa simply nodded and sighed loudly.

"... Okay. But, first, put out your hands. I got this for you, so you know."

The one reason which caused Kageyama to take what the Demon King had to give him was because he saw a small flash of red, which he thought he recognised as the part of a logo.

The red was the logo he'd thought it was. It turned out to be a ticket, which read 'V-League' and 'Tōkyō'.

The ticket's date said it would be this upcoming weekend.

Speechlessly, Kageyama turned the flimsy paper in his fingers. The V-League ... of course he knew that the highest-level national tournament had just begun its playoffs. But here, he was being offered a way to watch one, all in person ... excitement could not have begun to describe the feelings that overtook him at that time.

It was only then that Kageyama realised that Oikawa was by the front doors, and no longer looking in his way.

"Do you know ... how difficult it is to find those who are immune to my abilities? How few people could possibly come to understand? How, if it weren't for Tobio-chan's presence, I would otherwise be entirely alone?"

The soft-spoken plea resonated. The concept of being alone due to one's own ability ... before Karasuno, Kageyama did understand that emptiness well.

Then Hinata stirred and Kageyama recalled all the things which Oikawa had done.

Oikawa did not seem to notice, continued talking.

"So, I hope that you may consider my feelings."

In his smile, its anguish was dazzling beautifully.

"How I think of you ... you're like my only friend, you know?"

 

 

* * *

 

I don't know if Oikawa-san cared.

I don't know why it's a big deal if Oikawa-san cared or not.

But, when he watched me practice, even though he was tricking me and everyone else ...

I wanted to know.

It felt weird while he was watching me playing my volleyball.


	6. Rāmen Is A Very Wonderful Thing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (This one should be titled : Kageyama Tobio Becomes A Self-Insert, But Why Are There Penguins)

At an apartment in another city, a man closes the door. In his early thirties, his hair is sea urchin black, and he's dressed under a woollen scarf and long fleece coat to keep the cold afar. On his back is a bag with three pockets, and in his hands a shell suitcase is held.

"Sensei, it's really true? You're leaving?"

It's firmly that the man looks to the person who'd spoken, the landlord's daughter. His gaze, though it's resolute, still holds compassion.

"Yes." The key to the apartment exchanges hands. "Thank you and your family for all your kindness. I've finally found him -- the one that I've been searching for."

 

* * *

 

 

There was a penguin on the window frame.

Its colour was blue, its head was silver-crested, and around its neck, an odd sort of stone collar was made with links of crystal chain.

"Oh, that?" Oikawa's voice originated from behind where Kageyama was standing. "That's Gin-Gin, my familiar."

In all the time when Oikawa had been staying over, the familiar was something which Kageyama had never before seen. It stared Kageyama down, peering with beady eyes.

Kageyama didn't care for it, except one thing.

"Is it gonna shit in here?"

Gin-Gin the penguin squawked at Kageyama, irritable for something that seemed like just a creature. With a small smirk, Oikawa went to its side, and it was at this moment that Kageyama realised that Oikawa was wearing nothing except a towel. Heat radiated from the Demon King's flawless marble skin like steam in a steam room as he reached up, picking the penguin into his arms like something that resembled a hug.

"Don't worry. Gin-Gin is very well potty-trained. He's a hot springs penguin. They might be beyond your understanding."

On the TV, a certain music started playing. At once, though he knew exactly what the commercial would be on, Kageyama looked up to watch it anyway.

A person hitting a tennis ball. A diver, spinning off a tall platform. Lastly, a spiker flying up, pulling their arm back, then coming into contact with a volleyball to send it over a net ...

"Beast High, energy drink! Love and passion! Add fire to your fire."

Oikawa and Gin-Gin pressed into Kageyama's side.

"Is your passion running dry?" Oikawa questioned.

Kageyama ignored the feathers rubbing against his arm.

"It's him."

"Hmmm?"

"That one. The volleyball player. He's always chosen for the National team."

"Ah. He plays for one of the teams you're going to watch today, doesn't he?"

Something was odd about that sentence, and it wasn't because of Oikawa starting to wander away. By the time Kageyama realised what it was, and dashed after Oikawa to say, the sound of footsteps on the stairs had already stopped, so Kageyama scaled up to the second floor.

He found the Demon King in his ... their ... room, searching the wardrobe, and Gin-Gin waddling across the floor.

"You're not coming?"

On second glance, Oikawa was searching through Kageyama's half of the wardrobe.

"Nope. Didn't you want me to leave you alone? Plus, today is Gin-Gin's annual maintenance day."

"Those clothes are mine."

"So Tobio-chan doesn't want me here any more, in addition to not wanting to notice me ...!"

Oikawa tugged his head through the top of a shirt which Kageyama liked the most. It was the cotton one saying 'Setter Soul'.

"Give that back."

"But, we live together. 'What's mine is yours, and what's yours is mine.' Isn't that your human saying?"

"Nobody comes up with that!"

"Well, you agreed to it."

"When did --"

"Where's the nearest onsen?"

Packing a teal backpack, Oikawa barely hesitated before picking Gin-Gin up and putting it inside the largest pocket. He took off his towel, fluffed it, then wrapped it around the familiar.

Oikawa continued, while reaching out and putting a pair of Kageyama's trousers on.

"At least I have Gin-Gin to keep me company, though, too bad. I did want Tobio-chan. ' _Kyaaa!_ Oikawa-san, n- no, don't look at me there ...! How could you, we're both _boys ..._ '"

Kageyama had been prepared to tell Oikawa that people did not talk like that, was he a dumbass on purpose or simply born as one, when he suddenly found the wardrobe raid less important to care about. His gaze had just passed the volleyball-themed clock on his desk.

"How am I getting to Tōkyō?"

A hand absently waved around.

"No need for concern. Your ride will be here shortly! Is this onsen any good?"

Kageyama randomly said 'yes' at the very first tourist leaflet that Oikawa waved before him.

In what seemed like no time at all, the Demon King ran off after grabbing the backpack, giving no proper response beyond "Enjoy your present!", and the front door shut noisily after him.

Then not a second later, there was the sound of door-knocking.

The first thought which Kageyama assumed it was Oikawa, returning for little reason, and so he ignored it. That was until he went to search for his own clothes to wear and spotted his keys were missing, which must have meant that Oikawa had taken them with him.

So, this in mind, Kageyama realised that because his parents were not around that he would have to go and open the door.

The person beyond it was taller than him.

Actually, they were dressed like a doctor, if doctors wore very tight lab coats and very, very tight white pants. Their clothes were so tight that their muscles made shadows. Their chest was bared, revealing sets of well-defined shoulder extensors. They lowered their arm from the door to their side, letting Kageyama spot the muscles working in turns, a small ripple of the lats. And around the knees, there were wrinkles which looked like crumpled paper. What strong hamstrings. The jumping would be very powerful.

Kuroo Tetsurō didn't seem like he saw all the glances.

"I was asked to pay a sick visit."

Of course, with a doctor's outfit theme, only the Demon King had this sense of nonsense.

"I'm not sick," Kageyama said.

Kuroo Tetsurō didn't seem like he heard the answer.

"I was asked to pay a sick visit."

"..."

―――Kageyama had said his answer already. He had nothing else to add there.

Apparently Kuroo took it as an affirmative as he pulled out a shiny smartphone and scrolled through it. Kageyama also noticed the expensive car on the street outside at last.

"Our agenda is to first board a private jet at Sendai Airport, and then take a car to the gymnasium. There's no need to pack, as Lord Oikawa expects to meet you for dinner, back in Sendai, at 6 PM. If it is acceptable, lunch will be served on the plane. The food will be excellent - we have the best curry chef in the country."

"... Er."

"Tobio―――!" A very familiar voice yelled suddenly. Kageyama looked, and his mother was sticking her head out of the back of the car. "Come on, you'll be late! Okaaaay?"

 

 

 

The chef may have been Kageyama's mother, but the chauffeur was not his father. Kuroo went for the front seat, without a comment. Kageyama recognised he was being asked to sit in the back next to his mother. The seats felt slippery and sticky the way real leather was. Accustomed to buses which pressed everyone against each other, Kageyama found this seat so large it was ... empty.

A cup of juice was put in his face, which he took. The car's engine made a rumbling as it started.

His mother was fiddling with something between them, some sort of mini-bar, finding then a latch which was pulled and some drink holders flipped out.

"Tobio, sweetie, are you excited for today?"

Stiffly Kageyama drank from the cup.

"Mmnn."

"Did you know, I heard, the captain of the Ōsaka team just managed to find a girlfriend, she's that popular idol, isn't that so fantastic for him? That is what you are going to, that baseball game, yes ..."

"Mmn."

The wall-like silhouette of Kuroo in the front spoke without moving.

"A volleyball match, Kageyama-san."

Kageyama's mother shook her head. Some of her tightly-packed hair fell free of the box of pins stuck in to make her hairstyle.

"Oh, ah, yes! Of course. Volleyball. You're still playing that, I remember, that's right. All those awards, they're still on your wall. Did you want more juice?"

"... Mn."

The cup was taken cheerily and she filled it back to the top.

"Papa was a real _beast_ at baseball, in his heyday, you should have seen him being fawned over by his team! It's too bad he can't be here, accompanying you, but isn't it so lucky that mama was asked to cook? For a man like Kuroo-san to consider hiring someone like myself, and then it turns out it's all for my sweetest Tobio ...!"

"It was nothing," Kuroo's voice said from the front.

Silently, Kageyama put his mouth to the rim, drinking again. His gaze was settled, watching the street moving outside the window.

A phone beeped from the front and Kuroo's silhouette moved in the manner of somebody texting a response.

Then they reached the airport in no time at all.

 

 

 

"―――have work to attend to, therefore, you will be met by your mother once the match has ended. A car will be at Sendai Airport to take you to dinner. Is this acceptable?"

Truth be told, Kageyama had not entirely been listening to the plans set for the rest of the day. They were already on the plane, he had just eaten lunch, Kuroo had returned after changing into a black suit and red shirt combination, and Kageyama was given a brand new volleyball. The volleyball was meant to be signed, once Kageyama could. The gallery seat which was arranged was a 'super seat', the expensive sort.

Kageyama nodded.

Then a laptop was opened and a phone receiver detached off the wall. Kuroo looked like one of those high-class businessmen. Actually, since he had to do with those multi-national companies, he 'was' a high-class businessman. He was also back to work.

"... Please gather the requested people in the Kirin Room by fifty minutes' time, and wait with them. Also, put a request for reception to direct the auditors there on arrival ..."

The ball smelled new, like it just rolled out of manufacture, a lightly pungent rubbery quality. With a volleyball in his fingers, all Kageyama wanted to do was give it a toss. Patiently he held it, stretching out his legs. He understood when patience was necessary.

For some reason, he could not ignore that phrase, 'gather the requested people'.

The more which he gave it thought, the louder he heard his mother shuffling around the on-board kitchen, the twinkling clinking of trolleys and porcelain carefully being stowed away.

"'Gather the requested people,'" Kageyama muttered, to himself.

Kageyama looked out the window to the sight of clouds.

...

There, there was one which looked like a volleyball.

In his hands, the skin of the volleyball pushed against his fingertips and his heart did a little flutter.

―――He was going to watch the V-League in Tōkyō!

 

 

 

Dinner with the Demon King was at the rāmen restaurant, again.

They were in the exact seats that they were in the last time, but now, Oikawa cheerily ate from his bowl of tonkotsu rāmen, slurping with expert finesse. He was wearing a loud, new yukata, one which had elaborate illustration designs over it instead of the usual neutral patterns, and there was a bit of bright paper stuck in his hair.

His meal finished, Oikawa lowered his chopsticks atop his bowl.

It was almost impossible to consider this Demon King as the one which had sat there two weeks ago. Were it not for the summer clothing, he would have blended in despite his autumn colouring.

The weather was getting colder. Kageyama had started dressing thicker for his morning runs. Not that winter ever kept him from sport.

Oikawa wiped his mouth and put his glass of sugary fizzy drink down.

"Did you enjoy yourself today?"

Volleyball in his lap, signed by some of the best players in Japan, Kageyama was still meditating in the thrill of watching high-level sport. Memories of incredible ball handling replayed in his mind and in his fingers, which twitched excitedly, eager to try practicing again.

A contented humming vibrated from Oikawa's throat as he noticed this.

"Then, it is good. Just as planned."

The volleyball's skin pushed against Kageyama's fingertips as they closed around it unconsciously.

"Was it ..."

Keenly, Kageyama felt the entirety of Oikawa's attention on him.

"Was what, Tobio-chan?"

No. He couldn't ask that.

"Nothing."

Oikawa thought otherwise.

"You can tell me anything."

The words came out of the Demon King's mouth with such earnestness that it was hard to not believe him.

Kageyama, not one to dwell too long on some things, decided there was nothing to lose, so he said it anyway.

"Was it your idea to include my mother?"

The Demon King's head made a flicking motion. Briefly Kageyama thought he saw horns appear and disappear in a bit of a shimmer.

"And if it was?"

"..."

"..."

It appeared again, that strange feeling from the plane, curling around in Kageyama's stomach, a bit like the noodles he'd eaten were in fact snakes. They slithered on top of each other. There was no where for them to escape.

Kageyama felt himself tense.

"I don't like it."

"What is it you don't like? That she was there? How she had to think, to recall your interest in volleyball, nearly as if she seems to forget you?"

"No." Her absentness, it was normal.

"Then it's still the other thing. The memory spores."

"Yeah."

Those words, they were some that made sense.

"Okay."

Then, far too casually for someone who was on the other side of an accusation of altering memories, Oikawa leaned down to his shopping bags, and nudged Gin-Gin the penguin sideways so that he could search within them.

What he extracted was a phone.

He pressed a series of buttons and Kuroo's voice came crackling through.

"―――mental status checks out. I cannot detect additional mind-controls since the arrival incident. Will you require another dosage?"

Oikawa's voice followed, "No need, save your energy for that meeting, later. Have you told Tobio-chan? I'm ... so afraid, so afraid he still can't trust me even now."

"He's been told. But, I don't think he's listening."

With a triumphant smirk, the phone was flipped up into Oikawa's waiting palm.

"See?"

Kageyama was still trying to make sense of what seemed like the recording of a phone call. It was a little like his brain was filled with those sentences, confused and unsure, shaking rapidly.

Out of his mouth, a stray idea found an exit and dashed through.

"Do you have family?"

Despite appearing like nothing changed, the little bit of confetti slipped from Oikawa's hair, falling to the floor. The Demon King, who was poised but couldn't pick clothes, would have kept that tiny paper there using magic if he wanted to continue wearing it. Which meant ...

He did not expect Kageyama to say so.

When Oikawa responded, his tone was very conversational.

"You can say ... Kuroo is my family."

For some reason Kageyama understood this, too. The phrasing, it led to subtext which said something else. That, despite all appearances and their shared golden eyes ...

"He's not related to you."

Oikawa smiled brilliantly.

"How awfully nosy, Kageyama Tobio."

The use of Kageyama's full name surprised him at how close he'd gotten used to Oikawa being. It was such a sudden change in character.

Oikawa's smile revealed nothing and, as he continued to speak, Kageyama understood it no more.

"I will tell you this: Do you know how powerful a person becomes, when they're unafraid of death? Nor, how much the lesser people think that is something to be eradicated, because it is envy beyond human comprehension?"

His expression went from cheery to frowny serious in a snap, and his voice went from bitter to deliberately casual in the same instant.

"I have lots of enemies at home, Tobio-chan. So many, I kept with me a troupe of bodyguards. All wonderful, very strong ladies you never want to see scary. Very pretty and very powerful and all willing to die to keep me alive."

The statement caused a strange confusion in Kageyama.

"They would die ... for you?"

"Well, they loved me." With a wink, Oikawa added, "Do you love me, Tobio-chan?"

Though dramatically was how he said it, he didn't seem to seriously be wanting a response. Because before Kageyama managed to answer, the Demon King laughed so loudly that some of the other patrons looked over at them with a small amount of stink-eye before returning to their own foods with some obvious disapproval.

On a TV, a certain music began to play. Kageyama did not look up to watch it, though he knew exactly what the commercial would be, and looked usually. He was instead watching this Demon King make a fool of himself with no thought for what others thought.

Kageyama, gazing at Oikawa's hands, only then remembered his food was getting cold, so he looked away.

 

 

* * *

 

On a misty, autumn evening, a man in his early thirties enters a mart. His hair is intensely sea urchin black. He buys a bottle of black tea and a local newspaper.

The front of the newspaper displays vertical text with a photo of a young adult. Washed out colours don't wash out the great luminescence in their smile, which is bright enough to light the entire page from one corner, or the celebratory nature of the confetti all over his shoulders and his hair. As a photo, it's there to describe a feature article on an onsen receiving its five millionth visitor.

Carefully, that report is removed and folded, and tucked into a pocket.

On the way out, the man throws the remaining newspaper into the combustibles bin.


End file.
